The Lady Who Saw Too Much (19 page)

The door opened, and Landen strode into the room.

The sight of him sent a flutter through her belly. With an angry breath, she braced herself against the effect of his presence. “You’re back,” she said coolly.

He said nothing as he shrugged from his coat.

Miffed by his silence, she pressed onward. “Did you finish your
business
in town?”

He stiffened at the implication in her tone, avoiding her eyes. He flung his coat to a chair, then yanked at his tie. “I was with Charlotte.”

She blinked at the unsolicited admission. The pinch in her chest spread outward, a massive wave that ached through to her bones. Deep down she’d hoped she’d jumped to some sordid conclusion about an affair. But here he stood, not confessing, but declaring his morning tryst to the woman he’d made love to last night. The man had no shame.

Without so much as a glance in her direction, he strode to the bureau. Clanking glasses and bottles, he poured himself a drink. She glared at his back, seething at his lack of remorse.

He tossed back his head and guzzled his brandy. The slam of the glass against the wood surface gave her a start. She knew in that moment, there would be no remorse. Gritting her teeth against her welling tears, she stood there, trembling with anger. His broad shoulders rose and fell on the deep breath he took before he finally turned to face her.

“Are your parents alive?”

Air caught in her lungs; blood rushed from her face.

“It’s a simple question, Gia.” He stalked toward her.

She took a step back. Her mind raced as he neared, and then it all became clear.

Maude Devenshire
. It had to be Maude who’d unearthed Gia’s past. The woman was angry about Landen’s marriage, and Clara’s goading her at the ball hadn’t helped.

“Answer me,” Landen said.

Gia hadn’t prepared for this. She had no acceptable answer, mapped no route of escape through the maze of her lies. “Yes.”

He winced in stunned silence.

“I can explain,” she croaked out.

“With more lies?”

Anger blazed in his eyes, but there was hurt in them too. Her betrayal stared back at her through his pain and confusion.

“Don’t bother. I cannot believe a word that comes from your mouth.”

The disgust in his tone hurt more than his anger. She deserved nothing less. She lowered her head, mired in a swamp of regrets. She had come so close to gaining his trust. She had come so close to
him
.

“Please, Landen.” She reached toward him, but he shrugged from her grasp.

“Your parents were about to have you committed?”

She heard the horror in his voice, felt the pain of his childhood ripping through him.

“I know what you’re thinking, but I am not mad.”

“They were going to commit you.”

“Because I refused to stay medicated. They were afraid of my visions and—”

“Visions?” He stared aghast.

His mother had heard voices…

She shook her head furiously. “I am not insane. I see visions. Prophetic visions. But I am not insane.”

“I cannot listen to this.” He held up his hands. “I won’t.”

“You must.” Tears streamed down her face, down her throat, drowning her. “My visions are real. You must believe me.”

He shook his head, starting toward the door.

She started after him, desperate. “When I told Mrs. Amery that I fled Boston, she couldn’t keep me on at the school. She arranged for my position here. That’s when I had the vision of you.”

He stopped in his tracks, turning slowly to face her.

“I was holding the card Mrs. Amery gave me,” she said. “Your card. And I had a vision of you floating in a creek. I came here to save you.” She pelted him with the truth, having no more to lose. “That’s why I had to marry you, don’t you see? Clara was going to send me away. I had to stay here to save you.”

His mouth fell open as he took in her words. His eyes narrowed to slits as this registered. “Are you telling me that you tricked me into marriage because of this madness?” Disbelief gnarled his face; a vein emerged at his throat. “That you ruined my life based on some nonsense you imagined in your mind?”

She stared at him, struck by the hatred in his eyes. In the face of his anger, in the face of losing him forever, she realized how much she loved him. “Yes.”

“You are insane.”

The words stabbed through her heart, piercing her in two. She swallowed her pain and her pride. Her welling hopelessness. “Your life is in danger. I saw it, Landen. You were in the water, beaten and unconscious. You wore a red scarf.”

He scoffed, repeating her words. “In the water. A red scarf.” He shook his head, his voice growing louder. Angrier. “No one wants to kill me! I don’t own a red scarf!” He raked a hand through his hair. “And I will not continue this conversation for one moment more.” He pointed his finger. “You will keep quiet about your past. About these visions and everything else to do with this nonsense.”

The demand sounded familiar. She’d heard it before. The memory of her parents’ threats echoed through her head, and she shook them away. Her frantic attempts to warn them about her vision of Prudence had resulted in disaster. Gia had been promptly medicated, Prudence died, and the person Gia once was had died with her.

Gia lifted her chin. “And what about Charlotte?”

He tilted his head, his jaw twitching.

“She could not wait to tell you about my sordid past. She’ll tell—”

“Do not speak to me about Charlotte,” he ground out. “If it weren’t for her, Maude would have destroyed you by now.”

His defense of Charlotte hurt even more. Gia was the villain. The usurper. She hadn’t asked for the visions that had led her to this—that had led her to falling in love with him—and she bit back a curse at the unfairness of it all. “I don’t care about that,” she shot back. “All I care about is you. Saving you.”

The hard look on his face softened. He blinked, and the trace of tenderness in his eyes disappeared. “Say nothing of this to anyone, Gia. Or I swear to Christ, I will divorce you, to hell with the scandal.”

She summoned her strength against his threats. Against his hatred, and whatever else might stand in her way. She would not back down. She would not surrender as she had in Boston. She would fight to save Landen, as she should have fought to save Pru.

“Believe I’m insane, if you must. But believe this as well. Someone wants you dead. I saw it as plainly as you’re standing here now.” Her body trembled, but to her surprise, her voice sounded firm. Almost calm. “So, you can divorce me, Landen. You can toss me to the street. But I will stay in Misty Lake until I know you are safe.”

Landen stormed down the stairs and straight out the door. He walked toward the lake, his chest heaving. What the hell had he gotten himself into with this woman?

She actually believed she had visions. Prophetic visions. And she’d forced this marriage upon him as a result of these delusions. He squeezed shut his eyes, but he could not block out the picture of her, tears streaming from her desperate eyes, begging him to believe the unbelievable.

She’d come to Misty Lake to save him. If he weren’t feeling so damn sorry for himself, he might feel sorry for her.

He ran a hand through his hair, fighting the urge to yank a fistful from his head. He’d finally managed to accept their marriage and what he’d believed was her reason for tricking him into it. A young woman alone in the world and desperate for security had to do what she must to survive. That was understandable.

Gia’s reason was insanity.

The hell of his childhood felt like yesterday as he stood there, staring at the lake. The sun was setting, casting an orange glow on the rippling water. The serene picture calmed his pounding heart. His racing mind slowed as jumbled thoughts fell into place. His wife was afflicted as his mother had been….

And yet, Gia was nothing like his erratic mother. Gia was dependable, rational, and sharp as a whip. Sensitive and confident, and so damn passionate he couldn’t get enough of her. He snatched up a stone and flung it over the water so hard he nearly lost his footing. A splash sounded in the distance as he stumbled to catch his balance. Gia had seduced him into delusions of his own, into the fallacious belief there was something solid building between them—something more substantial than what they shared in their bed.

An avalanche of foolish hopes he hadn’t known he possessed crashed down on him, burying him alive. Gia had survived a terrible trauma, which was, undoubtedly, the cause of her delusions. Her words in the wake of her nightmare screamed through his head.
I will never be right.

His wife was broken, and he spat a loud curse, trying his damnedest to figure out what to do.

Her parents had medicated her to combat the problem. He’d ignore it. So long as she hurt no one else, he’d bury his head in denial for as long as he could. He sighed, deflated by the depressing irony of the situation.

Like father, like son.

* * * *

Gia made her way downstairs, dreading having to face Landen so soon. She’d thought about feigning a headache or some other illness to avoid the family dinner, but decided against hiding away. Instead, she’d get through the evening by appearing as though everything was fine. Landen believed she was addled, and she refused to foster that belief by looking distressed or isolating herself in her room. She’d taken great care arranging her hair and dressing in her favorite blue gown.

Confident she looked her best, she took a deep breath, then entered the parlor, where the reunion with Alex was well underway.

“Ah, here’s Gianna,” Clara announced to the room. She introduced Gia to Alex and Cecilia.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Gia said to Cecilia.

“Please call me Sissy,” she said with a smile that lit her stunning blue eyes. “Everyone does.”

Gia turned to the handsome young man, who looked so much like Landen.

“And everyone calls me Alex.” With a polite bow, Alex added, “Or Landen’s kid brother.”

Gia smiled, despite the tinge of sarcasm she’d heard in his words.

“It’s lovely to meet you, Gianna,” Sissy said. “And if you don’t mind me saying so, your gown is divine.” She turned to Alex. “Isn’t it divine?”

Gia’s cheeks heated at Alex’s lengthy appraisal.

“Divine, indeed.” He turned to Landen. “My heartfelt congratulations to you, Brother,” he said with a wink.

Landen’s lips tightened as his gaze met Gia’s. Seeking shelter from the thoughts behind his cold eyes, she took a seat on the sofa. With a fluff of her skirts, she settled into the space next to Alice.

“This is such a lovely summer house,” Sissy said, clearly impressed.

From the manner in which she soaked up her surroundings, gushing over the draperies and décor, Gia guessed Sissy was unused to such finery.

“On the ride here, we passed your home in Troy,” Sissy said. “Is it as grand on the inside as it looks from the street?”

She posed the question to Gia, who could only shrug in return. “I’m afraid I can’t answer, as I haven’t yet seen it.” Glancing at Landen, she was struck by the dawning possibility she never would.

Her lies had shattered any hope for a future with him. So intent was her focus on ensuring he survive the summer, she’d failed to consider the impact her actions might have beyond achieving that goal. She shook the worry away. First things first. She’d come this far to save him, and she would do what she must.

The hard lines of Landen’s face softened as he turned to Sissy. “The house is quite comfortable,” he assured her in a most humble tone.

“Yes, quite comfortable,” Clara agreed. “Though I must admit a fond attachment to this old place.” She gazed around as though collecting the memories. “Time passes so quickly,” she uttered. “I can hardly believe that in a few short weeks it will be time to close this house for summer.”

“I noticed during the drive that the leaves are beginning to change color already,” Sissy said. “The views are so lovely.”

“Is this your first trip to Misty Lake?” Gia asked.

“Yes. Until my cousin told me that Alex’s family summered here, I’d never heard of it,” she admitted with a sheepish smile.

“And would this cousin be the same one who escorted you to Misty Lake?”

“Yes.” Sissy’s smile dimmed as she considered Clara’s question. “Kit promised he’d be here in time for supper,” she said, glancing nervously toward the grandfather clock in the corner.

Gia smiled, hoping to ease her obvious embarrassment over her cousin’s absence. “I’m sure he’ll be here soon.”

“I’m sure he made a few friends at the tavern,” Sissy muttered.

“He’ll be here,” Alex said in defense of the man’s inexcusable tardiness.

“When my chaperone fell ill, my cousin insisted I not cancel my trip. He volunteered to act as chaperone himself.” She shrugged. “He is doing his best, but I’m afraid he’s not very good at it.”

“No matter,” Clara said. “Tomorrow we will have your trunks delivered here, and you shall stay with us for the remainder of your visit. Your cousin too.”

Sissy smiled. “That would be wonderful. Thank you.”

With a nod, Clara sealed the deal, proving once again that the old woman always got what she wanted.

Florence entered the room. “Mr. Richardson has arrived.”

The tall man appeared in the doorway, and Gia’s breath caught in her throat. She glanced at Landen. He sat back in his chair, watching her, his lips drawn tight. She saw on his face that he’d read her reaction, but she could not hide her surprise.

Mr. Richardson entered the room, but it wasn’t his dazzling smile that made her heart pound. It was the cane in his hand.

* * * *

Landen watched Gia closely. She sat, mouth agape, staring at the man. She stole a glance at Landen, looking as startled by the coincidence as he’d been. With a toss of her head, she straightened in her seat, gaining her composure as Alex made introductions.

“Please forgive my tardiness everyone,” Richardson said, looking genuinely abashed. “Time got away from me.” He pointed his cane toward the window. “The mesmerizing views of the lake held me captive on the hotel veranda. I’ve discovered a new appreciation for the soothing effects of the outdoors,” he said. “No wonder so many people summer here.” He glanced at Alice and then at Gia. “Although I see now that the views are picturesque indoors as well.”